HERNDON, Va., March 26, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) and seven additional contractors have been awarded an eight-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract by the U.S. Army Communications Electronics Command (CECOM) for the CECOM Rapid Response (CR2) program. The overall ceiling of this ID/IQ contract is more than $2.7 billion.

Northrop Grumman will provide the Department of Defense and other federal agencies a rapid method to develop, upgrade, maintain and support a broad range of new and existing platforms and systems, including aircraft, wheeled vehicles, watercraft, spacecraft, electronic systems, shelters, ground support equipment, support structures and the soldier, including hardware and software systems. CR2 may also be used to support both federal and non-federal homeland defense projects. From the requirements definition to task award, the CR2 process will take 19 days or less, providing government managers with streamlined access to world-class resources at reduced cost.

"The Northrop Grumman team provides the ideal breadth and depth of technical expertise, management capabilities and state-of-the-art facilities to provide all government CR2 clients with the highest quality solutions to ensure their mission success," said Barry Rhine, president, Defense Mission Systems, Northrop Grumman Information Technology (IT). "Our extensive experience and proven success in managing ID/IQ contracts and satisfying small business subcontracting goals contributed to winning this award and further strengthens our partnership with CECOM."

CR2 represents a Northrop Grumman company-wide effort, led by Northrop Grumman's IT sector, with participation from the company's Integrated Systems, Electronic Systems and Ship Systems sectors. Northrop Grumman has 34 subcontractors participating in the program. The contract will be managed at the Northrop Grumman IT facility in Eatontown, N.J., with work performed throughout the United States.